Baseball Sweeps No. 15 St. Thomas With Two Comeback Wins

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team put together its most impressive MIAC sweep in years Saturday against the University of St. Thomas. The Gusties used two last-inning comebacks to claim wins of 6-5 and 5-4, sweeping the No. 15 nationally ranked Tommies for the first time since 2001. The victories also ended a seven-game losing streak against St. Thomas dating back to 2012. With the wins, the Gusties improve to 20-18 overall and 9-11 in the MIAC. Gustavus reaches the 20-win mark for the first time since 2008, which is also the last time the Gusties finished with at least a .500 record.

Gustavus 6, St. Thomas 5 | BOX SCORE

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the seventh, the Gusties rallied for two runs and held on for the win. Cody Christensen (Sr., Luverne, Minn.) singled to right field and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Dan Carlson (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.). Sam Warner (Sr., Chanhassen, Minn.) then singled in Isaiah Welckle (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) who reached on a bunt single.

Welckle led the Gusties at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with the game-winning run and a stolen base. Sam Carlson (Jr., St. James, Minn.) started on the mound and lasted four innings in a no decision. He allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Jacob Volness (Sr., Cokato, Minn.) earned his fifth win after completing the final three innings. He allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

After two scoreless innings, Gustavus took a 1-0 lead in the third. Christensen reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single off the bat of Welckle. The Tommies answered in the bottom half by taking a 2-1 advantage after three hits.

Gustavus regained the lead at 3-2 in the fifth frame. Christensen drove in Brock Peterson (So., Cannon Falls, Minn.) with a single and Dan Carlson singled in Neil Engler (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.).

St. Thomas once again had an answer in the bottom half with a three-run homer off the bat of Cory Quinlan, making the score 5-3 in favor of the home team. The Gusties got one run back in the sixth as John Lundquist (So., Rochester, Minn.) walked and later scored on a single to center by Joe Melles (Sr., Hopkins, Minn.), setting up the two-run seventh inning for the Gusties.

Gustavus 5, St. Thomas 4 | BOX SCORE

As was the case in game one, the Gusties used a two-run final inning to secure the victory. Trailing 4-3 in the top of the ninth, Peterson and Melles walked (Danny Kimlinger (Sr., Lindstrom, Minn.) pinch ran for Melles) and were driven home on a double to right field off the bat of Engler, which proved to be the game winning hit.

Dan Carlson (2-3, 2 RBI, BB) and Engler (2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B) led the Gusties offensively with two hits apiece. Adam Stockwell (Fy., Apple Valley, Minn.) started on the mound and lasted four and two-thirds innings. He allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out three. Casey Lewandoski (So., Fairbanks, Alaska) tossed an inning and a third of relief, allowing one earned run on two hits. Jacob Braun (Jr., Wayzata, Minn.) pitched the final three innings to earn his first win of the season. Braun gave up one earned run without allowing a hit, including a strikeout and a walk.

After three scoreless innings, the Tommies struck first with two runs in the fourth on four hits. Gustavus ended the shutout in the sixth as Dan Carlson singled in Welckle, who walked. In the bottom half, St. Thomas got that run back after a pair of hits to gain a 3-1 advantage. The Gusties then tied the game in the eighth as Dan Carlson singled in Engler, followed by an RBI single off the bat of Josh Chatfield (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.). The Tommies once again had an answer in the bottom half, taking a 4-3 lead after a walk, sac bunt, grounder, and a wild pitch. But the Gusties saved the best for last, scoring a pair of runs in the ninth and holding off the Tommies in the bottom half for the win.

Gustavus wraps up the 2016 season Tuesday at UW-Superior. The non-conference doubleheader starts at 2:30 p.m.